Phonographic attachment for merchandise-dispensing apparatus



Jan 6, 1931. .1 J. SCHERMACK 1,737,644

PHONOGRAPHIC ATTACHMENT FOR MERCHANDISE DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Aug.27, '1928 2 Sheets-Sheet I l 3.6 I 35 I we;

anoeukoz ZZZZZ m I E j? 1 Jan 1931- J. J. SCHERMACK 1,737,644

PHONOGRAPHIC ATTACHMENT FOR MERCHANDISE DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Aug.27, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 avwentoz attozn 1 4,5

Patented Jan. 6, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH J. SGHERMAOK,OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOB TO AUTOMATIC MERCHAN- DISING CORPORATION OFAMERICA, 0] NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK IP HONOGRAPHICATTACHMENT FOR MERCHANDISE-DISPENSING APPARATUS Application filedAugust, 1928. Serial No. 302,402.

This invention relates to merchandise dispenslng apparatus and hasparticular reference to a device of the above character capable oftransmitting audible sounds.

audible sounds.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement ofthe above character which may be installed with facility upon apparatusnow in use without materially altering the standard constructionthereof.

A further advantageous feature of the present invention resides in therelative simplicity of the mechanism utilized for accomplishing theforegoing results and the minimum number of parts employed, thus ren-'dering the entire construction economical in manufacture.

While in particularizing upon the advantages and features of the presentinvention, particular stress has been placed upon the association of theattachment with merchandise dispensing apparatus, it should beunderstood that the same may be utilized in connection with variousother types of apparatus and the invention therefore contemplates suchan arrangement.

Other objects and novel features of construction reside in thearrangement of parts and the manner in which the same cooperate with thecontrol mechanism to produce the desired results.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view partly in section of a dispensingapparatus with my invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 22of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by theline3--3 on Figure 1 capable of numerous and diversified uses,

- nevertheless for the purpose of illustration, I have therein shownthis invention as used in connection with merchandise dispensingapparatus. In this connection I have illustrated in Figure 1 a casing 10having a compartment 11 at the lower end thereof for recelving aphonographic attachment 12. The latter may be of any suitable design,preferably of the disk. type, and is provided with the usual diaphragmconstruction 13 connected' in the usual way to a horn 14. As

shown, the latter, projects upwardly adjacent the front wall 15" of thecasing and communicates with an opening 16 which is also utilized as amerchandise discharge opening as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, this opening being formed in-the front wall 15 of the casing.The attachment is further provided with a motor shown conventionally at17 having a drive shaft 18 geared to a vertical shaft 19 which, in turn,is connected to the revolving phonographic disk 20 engageable by aneedle 20a adapted to support a suitable record 20. The latter isprovided ating the stylus 20a. The groove may have recorded therein.some suitable phrase such for example, as Thank you. The drive shaft 18is provided with a cam 21 adapted with a continuous circular groove foractuto engage one'end of a lever 22 pivoted at 22a intermediate the endsthereof to a bracket 23 projecting upwardly from the bottom of thecompartment 11. The opposite end of the lever is provided with asuitable armature 24 adapted to be attracted by the core 25 of a magnet26, the latter being energized by any suitable source of current, hereinshown as a battery 27. The magnet 26 is connected through the battery 27to a pair of contact arms 28 and 29 secured to the frame 30 of thecasing and extending in close proximity to a cam member 31. The latteris keyed to a shaft 32 which in turn is geared by intermeshing beveledgears 32a and 33a to a shaft 33 driven by any suitable dispensingcontrol mechanism, preferably of the coin controlled type illustratedgenerally at 34..

Arranged within the casing 10 and driven by the shaft 32 upon which thecam 31 is secured, is a conveyor comprising endless elements orsprocketchains 35a carrying a plu rality of merchandise receivingconta1ners'35 thereon; The sprocket chains 35a engage sprocket wheels356, with certain of which, connections may be made by the sprocketchain 350 which also runs over the small sprocket 35d on shaft 32. Thearrangement is such that upon actuating the coin control b mechanism 34,the conveyor will'be moved to a position wherein one of the containersassumes a position opposite the discharge opening 16 in the casing towhich opening the horn 14'is also connected as already described.

For preventing movement of the conveyor during the intervals of timebetween successive operations of the coin controlled mechanism 34, thecam member 31 is provided with looking or detent devices comprising 20 apair of'diametrically opposed slots 36 for engagement with a springinfluenced dog 37.

As will be apparent, the slots 36 are so 0 sitioned that when the dog 37is in engagement with either one of the slots, one of the containers ispositioned adjacent the discharge opening 16. Projecting laterally fromthe cam member 31 is a pair of contact members 38 adaptedto-successively engage the free ends of the arms-28 and 29 and 30 bridgethe space therebetween.- The position of the contact members 38-relative to the .slots. 36'is such that when the dog 37 is in-engagement with one of the slots 36,, the

- 'circuitto the'magnet will be open, as clear- 1y showniii Figure 1 ofthe drawings. When,

however; a coin isplaced within the mechanism 34 and the handle 39 uponthe front wall of the casing is actuated to rotate the conveyor andaccordingly the cam member 31, the dog 37 will travel out of theadjacent slot and one of the contact members 38 will bridge the spacebetween the arms 28 and 29 and close thecircuit to themagnet 26; Themagnet is then energized and thereby causes the lever 22 to 'swing aboutits pivotal connection to the bracket 23. Upon this swinging movement ofthe lever 22, it will be ap-.

parent that the opposite end of the same is moved out of engagement withthe shoulder 21a formed upon the cam'member 21a which is carried by thedrive shaft 18, thus permitting the latter to rotate a completerevolution and thereby rotate the disk 20 one complete revolution toproduce the desired sound. The lever 22 is normally held in engagementwith the cam 21a by means of a suitable spring 39a having one endsecured to the lever adjacent the end adapted to enbe demagnetized andthe lever will be per-- gage the cam 21 and having the opposite endsecured to a stationary part offlthe apparatus. The arrangement issuchthat upon dis engagement of the contact member 38 with one of the arms28 and 29, the magnet will mitted to ride along the periphery of theInthe event that it is not convenient to place the' phonographicattachment within. the casing as illustrated in Figure 1, the same I maybe applied to the top of the casing-as shown in Figure 5 of thedrawings, the operat-ion of the phonographic attachment and itsparticular connection to the dispensing mechanism being substantiallythe same as in the first described form of the invention. The particularconfiguration of the horn is slightlychanged and'a suitable deflector 40is provided wardly.

, Thus so-as to directthe sound down tachment for dispensing apparatusautomatically operable upon actuation of the dlspensing mechanism toproduce an audible sound,

such for exaniple as Thank you or the name of the particular merchandise.contained within I the apparatus. Moreover; it will be noted that thenature of the attachment is such as to enable the same to be readilyapplied to the apparatus and co-operate with the standard partsof thelatter to produce the desired results.

While in describing the t 0 forms of the invention hertofore set forth,particular stress is placed upon the association of the attachment, withmerchandise dispensing apparatus of the conveyortype, itis to be un-.derstood that the same may be used with equal facility upon variousother types of dispensing apparatus and accordinglyv reservation is madeto make such changes in construction and arrangements of parts as mayfall within the purview of the accompanying claims. 4

What I claim as my invention is:

v 1. In amerchandise dispensing apparatus, dispensing mechanism havin acam member associated therewith, a dog or holding said cam inpredetermined dispensing positions and adapted to permit movement ofsaid cam between said dispensing positions, electrical contactsassociated with said cam adapted to be open-circuited when the cam is ina dis.- pensing position and adapted to make an from the foipgoing itwill be appar out that I have provided a phonographic atelectricalconnection vwhen thecam passes from one position to the next, aphonographic attachment adapted to be set into operation electrically,and connections between said said attachment adapted to normally preventattachment and said contacts whereby said attachment is set intooperation each time the cam moves from one dispensing position toanother.

2. In merchandise dispensing apparatus, a conveyor for holdingmerchandise, means for moving said conveyor sucessively to predetermineddelivery position, a'cam associated with said means for holding theconveyor in each delivery postion, electrical contact means carried bysaid cam and adapted -to make an electrical connection as the conveyorpasses from one delivery position to another, a phonographic attachmentadapted to be set into operation electrically, and connections betweensaid electrical contact means and said phonographic attachment forsetting said attachment into operation as the conveyor passcsfrom onedelivery position to another. i

3. In merchandise dispensing apparatus a casing having a dischargeopening in one Wall thereof, a conveyor for holding merchandise,dispensing mechanism for moving said conveyor to position an articleopposite said opening, a notched cam movable with said mechanism, aspring operated dog for engaging said cam to hold said conveyor inposition with an article opposite said opening, a contact member carriedb said cam, contact arms positioned to be bri ged by said member as thecam passes from one dog engaging position to another, a phonographicattachment for transmitting an audible sound through said opening, meansfor driving said attachment, a second cam associated with rotation andto permit rotation after being released, electro-magnetic means forreleasing said second cam, an electrical connection between said'contact arms and said electromagnetic means whereby said attachment isset into operation each time the conveyor passes from one deliveryposition to the next.

In testimon whereof I afiix my signature.

J SEPH J. SCHERMACK.

